Carbon: The Elusive Archaeomaterial

How do we understand human evolution through archaeology? And what role does carbon play in this? This two-day masterclass with archaeometallurgist Sharada Srinivasan explored the carbon in both organic and inorganic archaeomaterials. From carbon black used by ancient Egyptians to the famous diamond mines in Golconda, discover how carbon finds its way into a vast array of materials like iron and steel. 

This masterclass was supported by the NIAS - TCS Heritage Initiative.

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About the Archaeometallurgist

Sharada Srinivasan, Padmashri, is Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. She was elected International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021 in Archaeology. Prof. Sharada Srinivasan has made landmark contributions in history of technology specialising in archaeometallurgical studies on ancient mining and metallurgy in southern India including iron and steel production and archaeometric dating of south Indian bronzes. She is co-author of ‘India’s Legendary Wootz Steel’, co-editor of ‘Digital Hampi’ and ‘Performance at the Urban Periphery’ and contributing author to ‘The Nilgiri Hills’ and ‘Ecstasy of Classical Art’ (National Museum).